"The form is available online, but it does take a signature," she said, explaining that the appeal form cannot be completed online.

But those wishing to appeal, can print the form and mail it to the assessor's office or deliver it in person. Alternately, property owners can fill out the form, sign it and scan it into their computer. The scanned form can then be emailed to appeals@tippecanoe.in.gov

People also may appeal by filling out the forms at the assessor's office on the second floor of the County Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette.

After filing an appeal, property owners shouldn't expect to hear anything for a few months.

"Absolutely nothing until next February," Phillips said.

"Once we get all the appeals and we get them entered, then we look at them by neighborhood," she said. "Neighborhood is not necessarily the people next to you. But it's houses of similar age, quality, size and school district.

"We look at them and take the neighborhoods with the largest percentage (of appeals) first," she said explaining these might indicate a cluster of mistakes.

"The process is that our staff reviews the appeal. They review any information the taxpayer might have provided. We check to see if there were any errors in the assessment. Then if staff feels the customer - or taxpayer - has a case, they may offer a reduction."

"If they review the information and don't think the taxpayer has a case, they'll send paperwork to that effect."

"If the taxpayer signs that paperwork, then the process is finished," she said. "If the taxpayer doesn't like what we've offered or they disagree with what staff recommends, then they can ask for a hearing with the property tax board of appeals."

But the property tax board of appeals won't take up those unresolved appeals until March or April, at the earliest. That's not enough time to resolve the issue before the May 10 deadline for the first installment of property tax payments.

Property owners will then have a choice. They may pay their taxes as billed under the assessed value they received in October. Or, since their assessment is under appeal, they may pay property taxes calculated on the old assessment, Phillips said.

The appeal process generally takes a few months, and generally, those who appeal think their assessments are too high. But that's not always the case.

"Actually, we have had a few people come in and say, 'I think this is wrong. I think it's too low.' And, again, we're happy to take a look at those, too," she said. "The taxpayer who brought one that was low had a point. We had missed a building behind their house. It was important to them to pay their fair share."

Regardless of whether an assessment is too high or too low, time is running out to appeal. The assessor's office closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday.